Large Roman Stone Mosaic - Geometric Design

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Exceptional Antiquities, Asian, Ethnographic

By Artemis Gallery

Oct 8, 2020

Set Reminder 2020-10-08 10:00:00 2020-10-08 10:00:00 America/New_York Bidsquare Bidsquare : Exceptional Antiquities, Asian, Ethnographic https://www.bidsquare.com/auctions/artemis-gallery/exceptional-antiquities-asian-ethnographic-5796
Museum-worthy examples of Egyptian, Greek, Roman, Etruscan, Near Eastern, Far East / Asian, Pre-Columbian, African / Tribal,Oceanic, Native American, Spanish Colonial, Russian, Fossils, Ancient Jewelry, Fine Art, so much more! Artemis Gallery info@artemisgallery.com

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• Lot Description
  Roman, the Levant, late Imperial Period, ca. 4th to 5th century CE. An outstanding mosaic comprised of hundreds of square and rectangular stone tesserae of complementary wine red, chocolate brown, jet black, creamy beige, robin egg blue, golden yellow, and tawny orange hues. The composition presents two large rectangular panels at the center, each one adorned with large nested diamond motifs surrounding a central square motif with four triangular motifs occupying the corners. Flanking these are four square panels - two on each side - each one with a central nested diamond motif housing a cross-like form. All is surrounded by a creamy white border that is sharply outlined in black tesserae. Size: 66" W x 32" H (167.6 cm x 81.3 cm)
  
  Mosaics (opus tesellatum) are some of our most enduring images from the Roman world, exciting not only for their aesthetic beauty, but also because they reveal what Romans chose to depict and see every day decorating their private and public spaces. This example demonstrates the ancients' fascination with design as well as geometry.
  
  In the Roman province of Syria, which encompassed most of the ancient Near East/Levant, mosaics developed as a common art form relatively late, with most finds coming from the 3rd century CE or later. Syria was one of Rome's wealthiest provinces, but it was also far removed from Rome itself and Roman culture was overlaid on enduring cultural traditions from Hellenistic Greece and the great civilizations that came before it. Antioch-on-the-Orontes (modern day Antakya, Turkey), was the capital of northern Roman Syria, and its excavations in the 1930s revealed more than three hundred mosaic pavements - of which many embellished public baths. Popular mosaic themes from this region were often mythological or religious scenes, depicting gods and goddesses; however, sometimes mosaics were simply created to fit the theme or design of a building or room.
  
  Provenance: private J.H. collection, Beaverton, Oregon, USA, acquired in May 2019; ex-B.C. Galleries, Armadale, Australia; ex-Nikos Paschalis (1918 - 1948) collection, inherited in 1965 by his sister, Assimina Paschalis, later by descent to Dr. W. Galanos of Melbourne, Australia. Mr. Nikos Paschalis was the grandson of George Paschalis, founder of the Paschalion Archaeophylakeion Museum in Samos, Greece in 1912
  
  All items legal to buy/sell under U.S. Statute covering cultural patrimony Code 2600, CHAPTER 14, and are guaranteed to be as described or your money back.
  
  A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany all winning bids.
  
  We ship worldwide and handle all shipping in-house for your convenience.
  
  #152872

  Condition

  Expected surface wear with minor losses, nicks, fissures, recessions, and abrasions to tesserae commensurate with age. Set in a modern plaster matrix (showing some hairline fissures) with a metal frame.
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